Free course. One paragraph (sometimes) per day.
Our political trust grows when our leaders try to align their interests with ours. Competition through elections and the legislative process gives our elected officials a big reason to pay attention to our personal interests to earn our votes. We can vote for the politicians most likely to serve our interests, and we can choose not to reelect those who have served us poorly.
The alignment process will work only as long as our elected officials believe we will vote against them for bad results or for trying to cheat the system. Our ability to monitor candidates and elected officials is helped by the 1st Amendment protecting freedom of speech and freedom of the press (and all forms of media).
“The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be, first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of society; and in the next place, to take the most effective precautions for keeping them virtuous whilst they continue to hold the public trust.”
– James Madison, The Federalist Papers, No. 57 (Our underlining.)
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